Flow diverter with antisiphon

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10119259-B2
Application number	US-201715426222-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2017
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A flow diverter for diverting flow between a toilet bowl and a toilet tank, having: a body having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet; and a flow adjustment mechanism rotatable within the body to selectively divert different percentages of flow between the first outlet and the second outlet; and an air vent and diaphragm in the body to prevent a siphon flow from the first or second outlet back to the inlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow diverter for diverting flow between a toilet bowl and a toilet tank, comprising:
a body having an inlet, an outlet and a pressure relief vent between the inlet and the outlet; and
a flow adjustment mechanism to selectively divert different percentages of flow between the outlet and the pressure relief vent,
wherein a siphon force applied to the outlet draws air into the pressure relief vent.

2. A flow diverter for diverting flow between a toilet bowl and a toilet tank, comprising:
a body having an inlet, an outlet and a pressure relief vent between the inlet and the outlet; and
a flow adjustment mechanism to selectively divert different percentages of flow between the outlet and the pressure relief vent, wherein the flow adjustment mechanism is rotatable around the outlet of the body and comprises:
a sleeve received over the outlet, the sleeve having a threaded inner surface that mates with a threaded outer surface of the outlet; and
a stopper that is slidably received into the outlet.

3. The flow diverter of claim 2 , wherein the stopper is moved axially in the outlet as the sleeve is rotated around the outlet to continuously adjust the size of a fluid path through the outlet.

4. The flow diverter of claim 1 , wherein the body is curved such that flow into the inlet is not co-axial with flow out of the outlet.

5. The flow diverter of claim 1 , wherein flow into the inlet is in a direction parallel to flow out of the outlet.

6. The flow diverter of claim 1 , wherein flow from the outlet is diverted to the toilet bowl and flow out of the pressure relief vent is diverted to the toilet tank.

7. The flow diverter of claim 1 , wherein flow from the outlet is diverted to the toilet tank and flow out of the pressure relief vent is diverted to the toilet bowl.

8. A flow diverter for diverting flow between a toilet bowl and a toilet tank, comprising:
a body having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet; and
a flow adjustment mechanism rotatable within the body to selectively divert different percentages of flow between the first outlet and the second outlet,
wherein the body has a cylindrical section, and wherein the flow adjustment mechanism comprises a curved rotatable wall portion that can be rotated in the cylindrical section to block flow into either the first outlet or the second outlet,
wherein the rotatable wall has a C-shaped or W-shaped cross section that extends at least approximately one quarter of the way around the cylindrical section.

9. The flow diverter of claim 8 , wherein the first outlet diverts flow to a toilet bowl, and a second outlet diverts flow to a toilet tank.

10. The flow diverter of claim 8 , wherein the C-shaped cross section extends half way around the cylindrical section of the body.

11. The flow diverter of claim 8 , further comprising a detent feature to selectively adjust the position of the curved rotatable wall within the cylindrical section.

12. The flow diverter of claim 8 , wherein the body further comprises an overflow tube clasp for mounting the body onto an overflow tube such that flow from the first outlet is directed into a mouth of the overflow tube, and flow from the second outlet is directed into away from the mouth of the overflow tube and into a toilet tank.

13. The flow diverter of claim 8 , wherein flow from the second outlet is directed back into the fill valve.

14. A flow diverter for diverting flow between a toilet bowl and a toilet tank, comprising:
a body having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet; and
a flow adjustment mechanism rotatable within the body to selectively divert different percentages of flow between the first outlet and the second outlet; and
an air vent and diaphragm in the body to prevent a siphon flow from the first or second outlet back to the inlet.

15. The flow diverter of claim 14 , wherein the first outlet diverts flow to a toilet bowl, and a second outlet diverts flow to a toilet tank.

16. The flow diverter of claim 14 , wherein the body has a cylindrical section, and wherein the flow adjustment mechanism comprises a curved rotatable wall portion that can be rotated in the cylindrical section to block flow into either the first outlet or the second outlet.

17. The flow diverter of claim 16 , wherein flow from the second outlet is directed back into the fill valve.

18. The flow diverter of claim 14 , wherein flow from the second outlet is directed back into the fill valve.

19. The flow diverter of claim 14 , wherein the diaphragm in the body is positioned near the top of the body of the flow diverter.

20. The flow diverter of claim 14 , wherein the diaphragm in the body is positioned above the inlet, first outlet and second outlet of the flow diverter.

21. The flow diverter of claim 14 , wherein the diaphragm in the body is positioned under a top cap of the body.

22. The flow diverter of claim 14 , wherein the diaphragm extends around the circumference of the body.

Assignees

• Fluidmaster

Inventors

• Le Tuan

Classifications

• F16K7/12

  with flat, dished, or bowl-shaped diaphragm · CPC title

• F16K31/365

  the fluid acting on a diaphragm · CPC title

• E03D1/32 Primary

  Arrangement of inlet valves (devices for reducing noise E03D9/14 {; noise-reducing means E03D11/00}) · CPC title

• E03C2001/026

  with flow restricting devices · CPC title

• E03D3/06

  with diaphragm valve and pressure chamber for retarding the valve-closing movement · CPC title